Concealed carry at a gun show

This is a discussion on Concealed carry at a gun show within the Concealed Carry Issues & Discussions forums, part of the Defensive Carry Discussions category; It’s more a safety issue than anything else.
Say you bring you pistol in and while cruising the table you see one you might want ...

Not carrying at a gun show is, in most states, usually the policy of those running the gun show. Personally it infuriates me but that being said I have never hear of show sponsors being allowed to "confiscate" my personal property. I would not let them and as far as I know they have no authority to do so. They can ask me to leave and I will.

This is the same logic the anti-gun folks use.....

Say you bring you pistol in and while cruising the table you see one you might want to trade for.

Some CCL holders are less experienced, and may have an AD while trying to remove the round in the chamber and remove the clip.

I always just lock mine in the glove box.

and it just doesn't fly with me. None of us should be allowed to carry a gun because someone might do something stupid with it. They are selling me guns and making money off of guns but I, a carry permit holder, can't be trusted to be responsible. Baloney! We are the most trustworthy people when it comes to guns. Not perfect but if perfection is the requirement nobody would be able to carry. Sorry but that logic just doesn't cut-the-mustard with me.

I attended a gun show last weekend. Rather than unload my gun and unload all the cartridges from my magazine, I opted to just put my gun in a COM and leave it in the car. Maybe not the best decision, but fortunately nothing happened.

I live in Oregon and it is pretty much legal to carry most anywhere. I had the occasion to speak with one of the security guards. He was not a cop, so he might not have been completely in the know. I asked him what would happen if someone got "caught" carrying a loaded, concealed weapon at the show.

He didn't seem to flinch as it has happened before. He said it is not illegal to do so. Apparently, just convention hall policy. The person would be asked to unload the gun and the ammunition would be confiscated. (Now for me, that would be about $20 worth of ammunition and I would just request that I put it in my car. Not sure if that would happen. ) There would be no arrest or anything as again, it is officially not illegal.

Is it illegal to carry in other states, or is it just corporate policy?

That's funny, I bought a little .22 handgun at our last gun show -- I got two mags with it, and he was trying to fit everything in its box but couldn't -- I told him, "why don't you just put the empty mag in the gun...", as this would give him the space he needed -- he said: "Ohhh no! That wouldn't be a good idea!" But then he ended up doing it. Sounded like he thought that may be against the rules...

I think in Anchorage at least you can't as far as I know because in the facility in Anchorage that some of them are held already bans weapons of any sort since its a venue for sporting events and what not. just my .02

Oh yes, that PG law. There is no official ruling on what actually constitutes violating the PG law. There are some unofficial opinions - but nothing written in code. And although you can ride on public transportation come July 1st - once you purchase a ticket to ride and others do the same - it still is a PG. Look for this law to be tested in places like Atlanta on the MARTA system after July 1st. Then it is going to come down to does HB 89 take precedence or does the PG law. But as far as the PG goes - no one actaully knows what pertains - it all depends on the arresting officer, DA and the Judge. I highly doubt you would get arrested at a gun show in GA for PG violation - more for disorderly conduct for not following a LEOs orders. In all my time going to gun shows, I have only seen one person escorted out by a LEO - and that was all that happened - the guy refused to unload his gun. But my opinion is this show is being put on for us & dealers - the least we can do is show some respect by obeying the rules - same as anywhere else - you can obey the laws or not.

There might be a Code Section for "failure to obey a police officer's directions " but making a charge of disorderly conduct would be hard to make stick. There are four circumstances enumerated which define Disorderly Conduct.

(a) A person commits the offense of disorderly conduct when such person commits any of the following:
(1) Acts in a violent or tumultuous manner toward another person whereby such person is placed in reasonable fear of the safety of such person´s life, limb, or health;
(2) Acts in a violent or tumultuous manner toward another person whereby the property of such person is placed in danger of being damaged or destroyed;
(3) Without provocation, uses to or of another person in such other person´s presence, opprobrious or abusive words which by their very utterance tend to incite to an immediate breach of the peace, that is to say, words which as a matter of common knowledge and under ordinary circumstances will, when used to or of another person in such other person´s presence, naturally tend to provoke violent resentment, that is, words commonly called 'fighting words'; or
(4) Without provocation, uses obscene and vulgar or profane language in the presence of or by telephone to a person under the age of 14 years which threatens an immediate breach of the peace.
(b) Any person who commits the offense of disorderly conduct shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(c) This Code section shall not be deemed or construed to affect or limit the powers of counties or municipal corporations to adopt ordinances or resolutions prohibiting disorderly conduct within their respective limits.

Doing a web-search for Georgia Code "failure to obey" police only brings up traffic laws so far.

and it just doesn't fly with me. None of us should be allowed to carry a gun because someone might do something stupid with it. They are selling me guns and making money off of guns but I, a carry permit holder, can't be trusted to be responsible. Baloney! We are the most trustworthy people when it comes to guns. Not perfect but if perfection is the requirement nobody would be able to carry. Sorry but that logic just doesn't cut-the-mustard with me.

I’m not saying I disagree with you.

I’m only saying some CCL holders and LEO’s for that matter are newbie’s and in the excitement of things may make a mistake and have an AD.

In any case, that’s why the promoters of the event elect to have it as no loaded firearms.

In most states it’s not a law, only a policy of the promoter, and the only thing they can do legally, is ask you to leave.

This is quite the interesting debate. I think a person with some common sense has to be able to see both sides of the arguement.

I can certianly understand the safety concerns. Come on people, look at the strict rules at your local gun range (but aren't we all well trained, those rules don't apply to me). There's never been an AD by a trained law enforcement officer or otherwise? Ever had a gun pointed at you at a store? There are plenty of threads here about it. Bad crap happens to good people.

I really liked the comment someone made earlier about your rights trumping someone elses rights when you violate the organizers requirements. You have the choice to attend or not, but not the right to do your own thing and violate the rules. Use a legal course of action to change the rule, not break it. You get caught breaking the rules and you have become ammunition for the rest of us to lose the rights we do have.

Personally, I'd still be in favor of CCW at a show. A friendly reminder at the door, "under no circumstances, other than self devense, is your weapon or spare clip to be removed from your holster." A reminder with the safety reason outlined could be plenty to help those who may not be as safety concious as the rest of us.